Reference sources are a great starting point for background information about a topic. The Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library, as well as other libraries at Illinois, have general AND subject specific reference books.
Encyclopedia of African American Education by 
Encyclopedia of American Social Movements by 
Encyclopedia of Educational Reform and Dissent by 
Encyclopedia of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement by 
Encyclopedia of the Social and Cultural Foundations of Education by 
Encyclopedia of Women and Gender by 
Gay and Lesbian Rights in the United States by 
The Gay and Lesbian Movement by 
Gender and Education by 
Handbook of Social Movements Across Disciplines
Historical Dictionary of School Segregation and Desegregation by 
